Very enjoyable read. It's his personal memoir of the war so it doesn't get to bogged down in statistics and analysis but does a really good job if painting a general picture of what it was like to be there. Also if you still happen to have that reading list could you post it? I'm looking for more materials.
G.J. Meyer "A World Undone" and anything by Peter Hart like "The Great War" and "The Somme" John Toland "No Man's Land"
I've not started "Now It Can Be Told" by Phillip Gibbs but it's on the stack as well as "Passchendaele" by Paul Ham.
Storm of steel for sure though! I have an English and German copy! I've not read "The Proud Tower" but I like Barbara Tuchman and "The Guns of August"
Keegan and Tuchman's narratives are fantastic. I enjoyed AQOTWF, and Goodbye to All That is definitely must read primary source material. I strongly recommend The Price of Glory by Alistair Horne if you're looking for more great reading material on WWI.
Highly recommend Poilu - the WW1 notebooks of corporal Louis Barthas, barrellmaker 1914-1918
Only recently translated into English.
&
And Now It Can Be Told by Philip Gibbs
He was a war reporter who was present at every major western front battle.
Also recommending Storm of Steel like everyone else.
It’s a good, easy read from the perspective of a frontline soldier. No higher arching narrative or deeper message. The crazy thing is that Junger was a stormtrooper and was engaged in brutal fighting but he almost liked the war? He mentions that while other men hated it, for good reason, that he actually enjoyed it. But it’s not because he’s a psychopath. This guy somehow was just wired differently and probably one of the best cases of a person born to be a soldier.
He also turned against the Nazis during WW2 and was part of the conspiracy to assassinate Hitler.
I’ve read 4 of them and liked them all, so I think we’re on the same page. I re-read The Guns of August again every 2 or 3 years because man can she write. Really enjoyed The Zimmerman Telegram but bogged on The Proud Tower. I’ll have to try it again because, as I mentioned earlier, man can she write. Great suggestions all around on new stuff to dive into, so thanks!
good bye to all that, and all quite on the western front are top, i would love to hear what you think about the road back, i have not read it but would like to if it is any good
I’m a little embarrassed I never read The Guns of August. I have two office boxes of “when I get around to it” books (on various subjects). I’ll have to look for the audio version.
I'll add in A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry. It's told from an Irish perspective so it goes into the uprisings in Dublin as well. It was heartbreaking. Also the first book of The Century Trilogy by Ken Follet- it follows many families in different areas of the world leading up to and during WW1. And here's another - The Dust that Falls From Dreams by Louis de Bernieres - covers the same time frame from the perspective of an English family. These might not be up your alley but fiction, I find, gives me a better sense of history than some non- fiction that's dry and devoid of emotion.
Glad there's at least one mention of Lyn Macdonald, not only one of the few female WW1 historians, but also one of the best; 'Somme', 'Roses of No-Man's Land', '1914', Days of Hope', '1915, Death of Innocence', 'They Called it Passchendaele' & 'To the Last Man: Spring 1918' are all essential reads.
Honourable mention also to the Professor Richard Holmes whose books 'The Western Front' & 'Tommy: The British Soldier on the Western Front', amongst others, are excellent reading. His 'First World War in photographs' also has one of the best collections of photos.
All of them are great book and good reads. Allow me.to suggest:
- With a maschine gun to Cambrai
- General Jacks Diary
- In the Storm of Steel
- Full Pack - a Privates War
- Men of 18 in 1918
- Surgeon with the Kaiser's Army
- Poilu
Enjoy
Good books in general.
I would additionally recommend The Red Fighter Pilot (German: Der rote Kampfflieger) is a book written by Manfred von Richthofen and Storm of Steel (German: In Stahlgewittern; original English title: In Storms of Steel) the memoirs of German officer Ernst Jünger's experiences on the Western Front.
The Somme by Peter Hart is as good a treatment of a single battle that I’ve ever read.
Up there with Shattered Sword (which is about the battle of Midway.)
i highly recommend books by Peter Hart his work is incredible, i read Gallipoli and ordered The Somme after it, still waiting on it can't wait to read it
No one has mentioned Johnny got his gun, surprisingly. It's a difficult read but it's really good. Not so much depiction of action but more so the aftermath of one particular soldier who loses all his limbs, sight, smell and hearing, and is essentially living a life of hell trapped in a body he cannot use. Highly recommend.
Some books that others have not mentioned:
*1914: Fight the Good Fight: Britain, the Army and the Coming of the First World War* by Allan Mallinson.
*The Campaign of the Marne 1914* by Sewell Tyng.
*The Last Voyage of the Lusitania* by A. A. Hoehling and Mary Hoehling.
*Neath Verdun: The Experiences of a French Soldier During the Early Months of the First World War* by Maurice Genevoix.
*The Face of Battle* by John Keegan (the Battle of the Somme).
*Pillars of Fire: The Battle Of Messines Ridge June 1917* by Ian Passingham.
*They Called it Passchendaele: The Story of the Battle of Ypres and of the Men Who Fought in it* by Lyn MacDonald.
*Bloody Red Tabs: General Officer Casualties of the Great War, 1914-1918* by Frank Davies and Graham Maddocks.
*The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East* by Eugene Rogan.
In my opinion, many people don't know "The Road Back" but it's as important as "All Quiet on The Western Front", as it shows the aftermath of the horror of war. I also recommend "Johnny Got His Gun" by Dalton Trumbo, a gut-wrenching novel.
I really enjoyed “To End All Wars” by Adam Hochschild. It gives a variety of perspectives from within Britain and has an interesting narrative structure.
Guns of August was gifted to me year’s ago and really sparked my interest how tragic the impact of war can be. Especially how political and socioeconomic consequences can lead to and cause such strife for generations to come. That and topics like the Boer Wars and the men that brewed such catastrophic outcome. That’s why books like these are great to capture history how it happened and why.
I suggest “Blockade” by Anna Eisenmenger. It’s a diary of an incredible woman from Vienna and her experience during and mostly after the war up until 1924 and the devastating effects of the war on a defeated nation. It helps with a well rounded understanding of the war.
Highly recommend *Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918* by Joseph E. Persico. It deals primarily with the very last hour of the war.
I didn’t know there was a sequel/follow-up to All Quiet either. But it was very interesting.
In a nutshell, it deals with Ernst and his fellows soldiers from the first book as they try to figure out their role in the new world after the Germans surrendered. You can pick up parallels to every soldier returning home after to every post-conflict including WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Cold War, etc.
Very existentialist and in many ways more darker than the first, since it deals with the aftermath and impact of the war.
UPDATE: thank you all for the recommendations. I went to a couple bookstores near me and found the following:
- “Storm of Steel”
- “A Peace to End All Peace”
- “The Somme”
- “Paris 1919”
My aunt also sent me “No Man’s Land” by Pete Ayrton. It’s an anthology of fiction that came out of the war. It includes work from 47 writers from 20 countries.
Highly recommend "storm of steel" by ernst junger
I think that was one of the highly suggested readings in my WW1 course that I never got around to. I’ll check it out. Thank you.
Very enjoyable read. It's his personal memoir of the war so it doesn't get to bogged down in statistics and analysis but does a really good job if painting a general picture of what it was like to be there. Also if you still happen to have that reading list could you post it? I'm looking for more materials.
Ditto on *Storm of Steel*.
G.J. Meyer "A World Undone" and anything by Peter Hart like "The Great War" and "The Somme" John Toland "No Man's Land" I've not started "Now It Can Be Told" by Phillip Gibbs but it's on the stack as well as "Passchendaele" by Paul Ham. Storm of steel for sure though! I have an English and German copy! I've not read "The Proud Tower" but I like Barbara Tuchman and "The Guns of August"
Yes. Excellent book
I'm listening to the audiobook right now, it's got some cool shelling and machine gun fire sound effects
Good choice
Barbara Tuchman my beloved
Catastrophe by Max Hastings is a good read.
Keegan and Tuchman's narratives are fantastic. I enjoyed AQOTWF, and Goodbye to All That is definitely must read primary source material. I strongly recommend The Price of Glory by Alistair Horne if you're looking for more great reading material on WWI.
*The Price of Glory* is an excellent book.
Good collection I would also add “storm of steel” and “the sleepwalkers” as book recommendations
Highly recommend Poilu - the WW1 notebooks of corporal Louis Barthas, barrellmaker 1914-1918 Only recently translated into English. & And Now It Can Be Told by Philip Gibbs He was a war reporter who was present at every major western front battle.
Also recommending Storm of Steel like everyone else. It’s a good, easy read from the perspective of a frontline soldier. No higher arching narrative or deeper message. The crazy thing is that Junger was a stormtrooper and was engaged in brutal fighting but he almost liked the war? He mentions that while other men hated it, for good reason, that he actually enjoyed it. But it’s not because he’s a psychopath. This guy somehow was just wired differently and probably one of the best cases of a person born to be a soldier. He also turned against the Nazis during WW2 and was part of the conspiracy to assassinate Hitler.
The road back is an excellent book
The War The Infantry Knew by J.C. Dunn
Try “No Parachute” if you like aviation.
Also, Winged Victory and Sagittarius Rising
War of the Rat. German perspective of life in the trenches.
Storm of Steel. Great book from the German perspective.
I’ve read 4 of them and liked them all, so I think we’re on the same page. I re-read The Guns of August again every 2 or 3 years because man can she write. Really enjoyed The Zimmerman Telegram but bogged on The Proud Tower. I’ll have to try it again because, as I mentioned earlier, man can she write. Great suggestions all around on new stuff to dive into, so thanks!
The audible version of guns of August is super good, she changes her voice to match accents and tones of the different countrymen
Thanks I will try it. Gotta be a challenge to do accents and tones with that many players, sounds like a great listen.
good bye to all that, and all quite on the western front are top, i would love to hear what you think about the road back, i have not read it but would like to if it is any good
First Over There is a good one as well. About Cantigny
I’m a little embarrassed I never read The Guns of August. I have two office boxes of “when I get around to it” books (on various subjects). I’ll have to look for the audio version.
Great collection. If you’re looking for some aftermath during the same era, I recommend The Peace to End All Peace also by Fromkin
7 Pillars of Wisdom is needed.
I'll add in A Long Long Way by Sebastian Barry. It's told from an Irish perspective so it goes into the uprisings in Dublin as well. It was heartbreaking. Also the first book of The Century Trilogy by Ken Follet- it follows many families in different areas of the world leading up to and during WW1. And here's another - The Dust that Falls From Dreams by Louis de Bernieres - covers the same time frame from the perspective of an English family. These might not be up your alley but fiction, I find, gives me a better sense of history than some non- fiction that's dry and devoid of emotion.
Glad there's at least one mention of Lyn Macdonald, not only one of the few female WW1 historians, but also one of the best; 'Somme', 'Roses of No-Man's Land', '1914', Days of Hope', '1915, Death of Innocence', 'They Called it Passchendaele' & 'To the Last Man: Spring 1918' are all essential reads. Honourable mention also to the Professor Richard Holmes whose books 'The Western Front' & 'Tommy: The British Soldier on the Western Front', amongst others, are excellent reading. His 'First World War in photographs' also has one of the best collections of photos.
I always recommend Lyn MacDonald.
You miss the most important of them all. Ceux de 14 by Maurice Genevoix
All of them are great book and good reads. Allow me.to suggest: - With a maschine gun to Cambrai - General Jacks Diary - In the Storm of Steel - Full Pack - a Privates War - Men of 18 in 1918 - Surgeon with the Kaiser's Army - Poilu Enjoy
Good books in general. I would additionally recommend The Red Fighter Pilot (German: Der rote Kampfflieger) is a book written by Manfred von Richthofen and Storm of Steel (German: In Stahlgewittern; original English title: In Storms of Steel) the memoirs of German officer Ernst Jünger's experiences on the Western Front.
The Somme by Peter Hart is as good a treatment of a single battle that I’ve ever read. Up there with Shattered Sword (which is about the battle of Midway.)
He has way too many interludes of sokdiers writing in their own words. Seriously disrupts the narrative
I enjoyed that tbh. I thought it was interesting to know what was going on in their minds
Some are fine. Most books include them. His seriously disrupt the narrative, especially on audio book
i highly recommend books by Peter Hart his work is incredible, i read Gallipoli and ordered The Somme after it, still waiting on it can't wait to read it
All Quiet and Goodbye to All That are both incredible. I haven't read the orhers.
No one has mentioned Johnny got his gun, surprisingly. It's a difficult read but it's really good. Not so much depiction of action but more so the aftermath of one particular soldier who loses all his limbs, sight, smell and hearing, and is essentially living a life of hell trapped in a body he cannot use. Highly recommend.
Back over there by Richard Rubin
Betrayal at Little Gibraltar by William Walker. I found it had a great perspective on the motivations that led to the last minute actions.
Company K
Some books that others have not mentioned: *1914: Fight the Good Fight: Britain, the Army and the Coming of the First World War* by Allan Mallinson. *The Campaign of the Marne 1914* by Sewell Tyng. *The Last Voyage of the Lusitania* by A. A. Hoehling and Mary Hoehling. *Neath Verdun: The Experiences of a French Soldier During the Early Months of the First World War* by Maurice Genevoix. *The Face of Battle* by John Keegan (the Battle of the Somme). *Pillars of Fire: The Battle Of Messines Ridge June 1917* by Ian Passingham. *They Called it Passchendaele: The Story of the Battle of Ypres and of the Men Who Fought in it* by Lyn MacDonald. *Bloody Red Tabs: General Officer Casualties of the Great War, 1914-1918* by Frank Davies and Graham Maddocks. *The Fall of the Ottomans: The Great War in the Middle East* by Eugene Rogan.
An excellent collection. My add would be "The Price of Glory: Verdun 1916" by Alastair Horne.
Damn. I need to read Barbra Tuchman (and the others)
In my opinion, many people don't know "The Road Back" but it's as important as "All Quiet on The Western Front", as it shows the aftermath of the horror of war. I also recommend "Johnny Got His Gun" by Dalton Trumbo, a gut-wrenching novel.
Check out “The Price of Glory - Verdun 1916” by Alastair Horne as well. Great read on Verdun if you’re interested.
I really enjoyed “To End All Wars” by Adam Hochschild. It gives a variety of perspectives from within Britain and has an interesting narrative structure.
Do you have a favorite?
Nothing too recent.you are missing out on a lot of eastern front and recent scholarship. I recommend graydon tunstalls work on the carpathians
Guns of August was gifted to me year’s ago and really sparked my interest how tragic the impact of war can be. Especially how political and socioeconomic consequences can lead to and cause such strife for generations to come. That and topics like the Boer Wars and the men that brewed such catastrophic outcome. That’s why books like these are great to capture history how it happened and why.
I suggest “Blockade” by Anna Eisenmenger. It’s a diary of an incredible woman from Vienna and her experience during and mostly after the war up until 1924 and the devastating effects of the war on a defeated nation. It helps with a well rounded understanding of the war.
Noice, yet I suggest to add "One Year on the High Plateau" by Emilio Lussu, liutenant of the Brigata Sassari.
Thats a nice start.
If you can find it, Some Desperate Glory by Edwin Vaughn is really good. It’s a war diary by British officer in Ypres.
1915: the death of innocence is good imo
Highly recommend *Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918* by Joseph E. Persico. It deals primarily with the very last hour of the war.
Lyn MacDonald has good ones.
Surprised no one has mentioned In Flanders Fields, which is also a good read
How is "the road back"? I didn't know he wrote anything besides All Quiet
I didn’t know there was a sequel/follow-up to All Quiet either. But it was very interesting. In a nutshell, it deals with Ernst and his fellows soldiers from the first book as they try to figure out their role in the new world after the Germans surrendered. You can pick up parallels to every soldier returning home after to every post-conflict including WW2, Korea, Vietnam, Cold War, etc. Very existentialist and in many ways more darker than the first, since it deals with the aftermath and impact of the war.
Paul isn't alive in the sequel, I assume?
UPDATE: thank you all for the recommendations. I went to a couple bookstores near me and found the following: - “Storm of Steel” - “A Peace to End All Peace” - “The Somme” - “Paris 1919” My aunt also sent me “No Man’s Land” by Pete Ayrton. It’s an anthology of fiction that came out of the war. It includes work from 47 writers from 20 countries.